A World Without You
by Scarf-san
Summary: Two years had passed since Juvia's death. During a solo quest, Gray caught sight of a beautiful woman with blue hair; her resemblance to the water mage was uncanny. Who is this mysterious girl, and why is she living in seclusion at an abandoned church?
1. Prologue

A/N: Hi everyone! It's been a while since I wrote anything... life got in the way and adulting is _not_ fun. But after some beers and serious self-reflection, I finally found the will to start this story that's been stuck in my head for years now. I hope you'll enjoy this little story. It's set towards the end of the Alvarez War, but with a slight twist. If you like a healthy dose of angst with your Gruvia, then this is the fic for you. ;)

Warning and Disclaimer: Contains coarse language and may have suggestive scenes in the future. Also, I don't own Fairy Tail.

 *****Recommended music for this chapter: [Mirai Nikki - Ost 2 Track 5]*****

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 **PROLOGUE**

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He collapsed under the weight of Zeref's magic.

Gray cursed under his breath as his bloodied knees hit the rough, rocky plains of what was left of Magnolia.

They were so close. It took him and friends almost everything they had to defeat the rest of the Spriggan 12. But by the time Zeref finally showed his face, everyone was absolutely spent. No one had the spirit nor energy left to face the strongest dark mage in history.

Gray scanned the battlefield in front of him. Lifeless and battered bodies littered the dusty landscape; Zeref's whirlwind of powerful magic left none unscathed in its path. He was currently in some possessed state after Gray knocked him unconscious. But dark energy was flowing ominously over his body like a tornado.

The rest of Team Natsu was nowhere to be found; they had all separated during their previous battle with Zeref's armies. He was now left with Juvia. They were the only two still conscious, but were definitely in no shape to fight. Gray glanced back at the water mage to see her holding her left arm in pain. She was covered in bruises from head to toe, and could hardly stand straight.

It was at this moment that Gray Fullbuster felt like the world's biggest loser. How did years and years of intense training and dangerous quests lead to this? He couldn't even hold his ground against Zeref, much less defeat him.

"Gray-sama, watch out!"

Juvia's voice broke him out of his thoughts, and he looked up in time to see a dark, shadowy creature emerge from Zeref's unmoving body and headed at lightning speed toward him.

His eyes widened in shock, barely having enough time to reflexively cover his face with this arms.

But whatever that attack was, it never came. Instead, he felt the ground beneath him rumble and vibrate.

Gray slowly preyed open his eyes and saw Juvia standing in front of him, arms outstretched to shield him from the creature. Huge geysers shot out from the hardened soil and merged into a strong shield made of water. Fear gripped his heart; everything about this situation made him uncomfortable. She was just too damn close to that monster.

"Juvia!" Gray called sternly. "Get back, you won't be able to hold it off for long!" He's never seen her use this skill before, not even during the six months that they've lived together. And he knows that it's not going to take any regular attack to finish this thing off. It came out of Zeref's body after all.

Gray is by no means a quitter. But he had enough sense to know that the best chance of them getting out of this alive was to run away and regroup.

If she heard him, then she must've ignored him. Juvia knew well enough that they wouldn't be able to escape far with their injuries. This dark creature was a manifestation of Zeref's bitterness and hatred for the world. It wouldn't stop until every available, living thing in its path was eliminated.

Not even looking back once, Juvia continued to summon more and more water from the ground. The powerful streams became steam as soon as they made contact with the shadow. It appeared like the body of the monster was so scorching hot that it melted anything that touched it. However, every time it made impact with Juvia's water shield, the shadow also shrunk in size.

The problem is, this was the first time Juvia attempted this powerful spell. And with every second that passed, she could feel her body disintegrating cell by cell. Her fingertips and toes were the first to disappear.

She bit down hard on her chapped lips to prevent a gasp from escaping.

It's happening. The tragic side effects of using this particular magic… she was scared. But even so, if she could protect the person she loved and buy him some time until Natsu and the rest of their friends arrived, it was worth it. It didn't matter what happened to her.

After all, Gray was in much worse condition than she was. During their battle with Invel, he had pretty much taken all the damage in her place, and had spent most of the fight trying to get her out of harm's way.

"Juvia, for fuck sakes—" Gray grunted and used every ounce of energy left in his body to pull himself up. "Stop it. You're in no shape to defeat him right now! Let me handle this—"

"No!" She let the strange, insurmountable magic wash through her being. The geyser shield she created pushed back further on the screeching shadow monster. "Juvia will take care of Gray-sama…"

"Idiot!"

Desperate, Gray limped towards the blue-haired mage and fell. He cursed his useless, broken legs.

The water shield, beautiful and surreal it may be, started to give in to the force of the shadow. Gray held his breath. A crack formed in its perfect, crystalline surface.

"Gray-sama."

He froze, his blood running cold. There was something in her tone that scared him.

"Words cannot express the joy Juvia has felt getting to know you."

 _Crack._

The shield finally broke, sending millions of sharp water fragments into the air.

"Stop talking nonsense!" Gray screamed desperately. "Listen for once and get back here!"

"Please allow Juvia to protect you one last time," she said, her voice shaking slightly.

"Don't give me that bullshit!" Gray spat out. "I don't need your protection—"

It was at that moment that he noticed her arms were gone. So were her feet. Since when? Was she… evaporating?!

"Juvia, your…" he trailed off, almost in disbelief. With every ounce of his willpower, he used his forearms, all bloodied and disfigured, to pull the rest of his body towards her to close the distance. His eyes must be playing tricks on him. That had to be it.

The flow of her magic stopped. And with the last surge of water, it enveloped what was left of the shadow completely and engulfed it. Both elements simmered into nothingness.

The blue-haired mage finally turned around, and the scene that greeted Gray stopped him dead in his tracks. The setting sun gently shined behind her, giving off a holy glow… she was so breathtakingly beautiful. But her flushed, tear-stained face held a number of concerning expressions: guilt, regret, longing… love.

"Please don't be scared, Gray-sama," she said softly. At a frightening pace, the spell's effects claimed the bottom half of her body and continued its ascent. Her flesh flew away as tiny, glistening particles.

"What's happening…Juvia? What's happening to you?!" He shrieked, feeling the onset of a panic attack. Gray threw himself forward but fell again in a failed attempt to stand up. What struck absolute fear into his heart was the peaceful look on Juvia's face. She didn't seem alarmed by what was happening to her, as if she had already accepted her fate.

Then, she had the audacity to smile. And she gave him the most beautiful, serene smile he'd ever seen in his life.

"There's no reason to be sad. Juvia will continue to live… through you."

"NO!" He pushed off with his broken leg once more and flung himself up with his arm outstretched, trying to grasp any part of her that was still visible. "Who said you can do that?! I won't let you, you're going to stay right here dammit!"

His hand went right through her body, and he suddenly felt ill. No, this can't be happening.

More tears flowed down her cheeks as she felt her torso disintegrate and become one with the air. "Juvia's life… will forever and always belong only to you, Gray-sama."

He screamed.

And screamed… until the last strand of her blue hair evaporated into little orbs of mist… until his voice grew hoarse and sound could no longer come out. Until his eyes became bloodshot from the painful stinging of tears, he screamed. No matter how many times he waved his arms frantically at the space where she just stood, all that was left of her was the cool breeze and a hint of water vapour on his fingertips.

Juvia was gone. Forever.

And she never got to hear his answer.

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A/N: Yes, I enjoy making Gray suffer. :) As always, reviews are appreciated! The next chapter will come soon!


	2. Lone Man on the Hill

A/N: Wow, thank you guys so much for reviewing and following this story! It really made my week. Here's the latest chapter, happy reading! :)

Warning: Contains coarse language.

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 *****Recommended song for this chapter: [7!-Orange [Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso ED 2]]*****

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 **CHAPTER 1: LONE MAN ON THE HILL**

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A tall, well built young man walked down a narrow, paved path leading to a lush hill. The small patches of snow on the ground made a crisp, crunching noise when his heavy boots stepped on them.

The weather was getting warmer lately, and whatever snow had remained throughout the long winter was just beginning to melt away to make room for spring.

It was truly a beautiful, sunny day… her favourite kind of weather.

Gray Fullbuster smiled, thinking about how excited Juvia would've been if he had suggested to take a stroll with her on a day like this. She'd probably be happy enough to melt into a puddle.

Two long years had passed since she left this world. There was no body to bury, so he had thought it most appropriate to build her a lavish headstone in the spot where she last stood.

As he turned a corner, he marvelled at how much the landscape has changed over the past year. The war with Alvarez had completely destroyed Magnolia, and it had taken just about all of the country's resources and handymen to rebuild the infrastructure and re-cultivate the land. Gray was happy that this part of the terrain, in particular, had begun to return to its original state of beauty. Each time he came back, there had been new signs of life being introduced to the ecosystem.

The ice mage closed his eyes to enjoy the cool breeze ruffling through his hair. He had walked this path so many times that he knew the landscape like the back of his hand. After all, he was the one who paved it in the first place.

As he got closer to the top of the hill, where they had had their final battle with Zeref, he felt the familiar heaviness in his heart. This was both his favourite and least favourite place to visit.

That horrible day two years ago haunted him with a persistent viciousness incomparable to any other nightmare he's ever had. Of course, Gray Fullbuster wasn't unfamiliar with the stages of grief… far from it. On the contrary, he'd gone through the same gut-wrenching pain too many times to count during the brief years that he's spent on Earth. First, it was his mom and dad, Ur and next Ultear, and then his dad again… one would think that maybe he'd be immune to it by now.

But Juvia's death was different. While losing the other important people in his life simply made him a bitter and cold-hearted person, Juvia's sacrifice destroyed him from the inside out and robbed him of his only chance at happiness. She was his future; the light in his life that showed him it was okay to let his guard down once in a while, because she was here to stay.

Of course, that turned out to be false. She left him anyway. Her passing proved to Gray once again that he was cursed to live out the rest of his life alone. He was the magnet that drew anyone who was unlucky enough to love him into an early death.

A sigh escaped his lips. Juvia was never very good at listening to him. Not during all those times when he told her to leave him alone. And also not when he told her to stay by his side.

That dreadful day… Natsu, Lucy, Erza, and Wendy had come too late. They found him face down on the ground, his fingers hideously bloodied and scraped from trying to scoop up the dirt from where Juvia stood a few moments ago, all because he saw some wet droplets of water there and thought it was her.

When the realization of what had just occurred dawned on his friends' faces, they had been frozen in shock, barely managing to get any words out. And it was in that moment that Zeref had awakened. What happened next had been a blur. Something inside Gray must've snapped. Natsu had recounted to him that as soon as Wendy healed his legs enough so that he could feel them again, he had gone on a murderous rampage. They all somehow managed to defeat Zeref together. But nothing mattered to him after that. So what if they finally got rid of the black mage and restored peace to the rest of the world? It was a world without Juvia.

He approached the tombstone he had made for her, carved out of eternal ice; it would never melt. An innumerable amount of flowers, bouquets, and candles crowded her grave. Gajeel had placed her treasured, pink umbrella over the space to cover it in case it ever rained. Just because she was known as the Rain Woman, she still hated getting drenched, the Iron Dragen Slayer had said.

Lucy and Levy cleaned out her apartment at Fairy Hills, and placed some of her most precious Gray plushies there as well. The ice mage was grateful to his friends for keeping her grave clean all this time. It was evident through the abundant gifts and fresh flowers that she had no shortage of visitors.

A part of him felt that he was responsible for taking her away from her friends as well. Juvia sacrificed herself so that he could live, all because he wasn't strong enough to protect her. It wasn't just Gray who lost someone important.

But what keeps him up at night is the fact that she left without knowing what was in his heart.

Attempting to console him, Lucy had once said, "Gray, I'm certain that Juvia knew of your feelings, perhaps long before you did. No one knows you like she does."

Yes, that could be true. But who's to say for sure when the only person who can confirm that is dead? It didn't help that he did nothing but push her away and give her the cold shoulder when she was alive.

Gray crouched down and laid on his back next to her headstone, the soft grass providing a comfortable bed for him. He could lay here for hours. Sometimes, he would even stay all night, not doing much except counting the stars and talking about random things. He'd like to think that Juvia was next to him and perhaps forced to listen to his nonsensical ramblings. Whether that was true or not, it was the only thing that gave him any semblance of peace.

"Hey, Juvia." His eyes were fixated on the fast-moving clouds in the sky. "Do you still remember what I said to you the first time I came up here?"

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 ***~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Flashback *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

It was raining hard when Gray woke up in the infirmary. As soon as he opened his eyes, he made a mad dash for the door and ran all the way back to where their last battle with Zeref was.

Someone had placed a single dandelion at the spot where Juvia disappeared. After the war left their country in shambles, it was surprising to find any kind of flower at all.

Tears welled up in his eyes and threatened to spill. He had hoped it was all a bad dream.

He roared to the heavens in anguish yet again at the unfairness of it all.

"Gray!"

Behind him, Erza, Lucy and Natsu's voice can be heard over the heavy pitter patter of the rain. Natsu must've followed his scent to find him here. But Gray disregarded them. As his whole body shook with convulsive gasps and cries, all he could feel was an empty hole in his heart that would never be filled.

"JUVIA, YOU LIAR!"

His screams were lost to the vast emptiness of the hill.

"FUCK YOUR PROMISES!" Gray was hysterical. "What, you said you loved me? That you were going to take care of me forever? YOU'RE A SELFISH LIAR!"

"Gray!" Erza swung him around, and although her grip on his shoulder was rough, her eyes showed concern. "Get a hold of yourself! Do you think Juvia would want to see you like this?!"

He threw her hands away and stumbled backward, almost as if he was in a drunken stupor.

"If she has a problem with seeing me like this, then she should come tell me herself! JUVIAAAA!" He hollered. "Did you hear that? If you liked me so damn much, why didn't you stick around for my answer huh?!"

"That's enough, Gray!" Lucy cried, her tears indistinguishable from the raindrops. "Please… stop this already."

Natsu's lip twitched, and with his fists clenched, he walked over to where Gray was kneeling with hair covering his eyes.

"Oi…" he breathed. With one hand, he pulled him up by the collar and shook him violently. "Get a fucking grip on yourself you ice bastard!"

"Let go," the dark-haired mage choked out.

Natsu replied by planting a solid fist in his face. "Not until you apologize."

The Dragon Slayer's grip on his best friend tightened, and he started shaking uncontrollably. This made Gray look up, and he realized that Natsu wasn't shaking from anger. He was crying.

"Apologize," Natsu said again. "To Juvia, for having to see you be so pathetic!"

A stubborn lump formed in Gray's throat, and he trembled in Natsu's hold before letting out a wretched, guttural sob.

When Natsu finally released him, he sled down to the ground, pulled his head into his hands and bawled. His friends were right. What was he doing? Juvia gave her everything to him and waited patiently all this time for his answer. It was him who let her down and failed to protect her. It was him who tossed his future out the window because he spent his whole life being afraid of letting anyone in. He was too late. He had always been late.

 ***~*~*~*~*~*~*~* End Flashback *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

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Gray let out a half-hearted chuckle at the memory. "I must've sounded so stupid back then, Juvia. I'm sorry if you heard all that."

For the months directly following that incident, Gray still couldn't accept her death. To say that everyone was worried for him would've been an understatement. He pretty much turned Fairy Tail upside down with his unpredictable mood swings, occasional outbursts, and self-destructive behaviour that put him in constant danger. Everyone at the guild was already having a hard time after learning about what happened to the water mage, but after witnessing what the incident reduced the once proud Ice Devil Slayer to, he's sure that he brought his friends and the Master a lot of pain as well.

Gray remembered pestering Levy for weeks on end, telling her that he's sure Juvia hasn't died and had simply dissolved into water vapour. He would knock on her door relentlessly trying to get her to pull out all the history and magic books she had to find out exactly what spell Juvia used, and if there was an "antidote" to bring her back. It was until Gajeel finally had enough and knocked some sense into him that he stopped.

But his friends had been curious too and wanted to help Gray get some closure. So after a whole lot of effort and pulling some all-nighters, they were able to find out that the final attack Juvia had used was most likely "Crystalline Shield: Disperse". Levy found it in an ancient book on water magic. Just obtaining the book itself took a whole month travelling across the globe. Unfortunately, there was little to no information on the consequences of performing the spell because the last recorded person to have used it was dated back centuries ago. And that person was said to have "evaporated into thin air and never to be seen again". The book, therefore, concluded that the only logical explanation was death.

Gray finally gave up after that and was forced to accept the truth. For a while, he had stopped eating and coming to the guild. However, one unexpected visitor changed his mind.

"You know what, Juvia? Back then, Meredy paid me a visit." He let out a sigh and repositioned himself so that he was facing her headstone.

"And man did she give me a good beating. You have some pretty violent friends, you know that?"

The gentle breeze answered him. He relaxed and closed his eyes.

"She told me that since you two were like sisters and used Sensory Link so often, she knew your feelings better than anyone. She called me a dim-witted coward, and said that the only way I could make it up to you was to live the rest of my life in a way that you would've lived it. That's the true meaning of living your life through me, isn't it?"

Gray gave a tight smile and sat up. "And you know what? That's exactly what I did. I started eating again, because I would've wanted you to eat. I started sleeping early and going on fun missions, because that's what you would've done. I showed up at the guild bright and ungodly early everyday to socialize with our friends and sock Natsu in the jaw, because you would've wanted to see everyone laughing just like they used to. But…"

He swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. "It was too hard." The wind picked up, making the clouds cover the sun temporarily. "Before I knew it, two years passed just like that. And it's still too damn hard. Everything here reminds me of you. The guild, the people, the Caramade Franks, the snow, your empty seat…."

The raven-haired man looked up, his eyes full of pain, and placed a hand on the icy headstone. He caressed it delicately with his thumb.

"I'll be leaving for a while, Juvia." A lone tear slid down his cheek. "Sorry…. I won't be visiting you as often as before, but I promise I'll be back. Hopefully as a person who wouldn't worry you half as much."

He put his forehead tenderly against the cold tombstone, and stayed there silently until the sun began to set. This place had been his sanctuary for the past two years, and he was finally going to try and move on.

Juvia would've wanted that for him.

Throwing his bag over his broad shoulders, Gray quietly got up and began descending down the hill. He'd made up his mind that there would be no other woman for him. But even if he was doomed to live a life without love, he had to at least make the most out of it.

For Juvia.

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A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter! ^-^ Please leave a review, I love seeing what you guys thought of the story!


	3. Is It Really You?

A/N: Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you're all enjoying the holiday season. Thank you all for your wonderful comments! A lot of you seem to feel bad for Gray, but don't you worry, he's in good hands :) *insert evil laugh*. Without further ado, please enjoy this long chapter!

Warning: Contains coarse language and Gray's never-ending tears.

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 *****Recommended music for this chapter: [君だったら Kimi Dattara - Happy Birthday]*****

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 **CHAPTER 2: IS IT REALLY YOU?**

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"Having a rough day already, huh?"

Mirajane set two mugs of beer down on the counter with a knowing smile.

It had been a slow day. Many newcomers had joined Fairy Tail over the years, but due to the popularity of their guild, there had also been an abundance of job postings offered to the members lately. So it's not rare to have the guild hall looking almost deserted sometimes.

"I just don't understand."

Erza grabbed the glass closest to her and proceeded to chug the whole thing in a way that would put Cana to shame.

"Why would Gray turn us down to go off by himself in the middle of nowhere?" Erza slammed the empty mug down on the table angrily. "We specifically chose a really fun mission this time, just for him. It's not everyday that we get asked to go to Akane Resort to do nothing but a few hours of fan signing. All the food and accommodations are paid for too…."

Mira's eyes softened sympathetically at Erza's pout; she was clearly drunk already after the first glass. Before noon at that.

"I know, I know. You did it because you really wanted to cheer him up, isn't that right?"

A tear escaped her eye, and the scarlet-haired mage held back a sniffle. "He thinks no one could tell…. But we all know he's been hiding his pain. His fake smiles aren't fooling anyone."

Mira calmly collected the empty mug and wiped the counter where Erza had spilled a bit of her beer.

"I knew something was wrong…. And now what does he do? He accepts a boring ass solo quest on the opposite side of the country, and he tells us he doesn't know when he'll be back?!"

An armoured fist crashed into the wooden counter and broke it readily in half. A group of new Fairy Tail members sitting nearby jumped back in fear and squeaked.

"THAT UNGRATEFUL LITTLE—"

"Now now, Erza." Mira sweat dropped and waved her hands in front of her in an effort to calm the drunk, now red-faced mage down. "I think deep inside, you also understand why Gray made that decision."

Mira's expression became forlorn as she scanned the many photos hanging on a wall to her right. These pictures captured all the significant milestones and happy memories of their friends over the past few years. Erza followed her gaze as they landed on a picture of Gajeel standing bashfully next to a pregnant Levy, who was currently going into her third trimester. She then looked over at a selfie of Erza showing off her sparkling engagement ring triumphantly with an adorable blush across her cheeks. Next, a photo of Natsu, Lucy, and Happy having a picnic to celebrate the blonde's twentieth birthday. Another photo of Elfman and Evergreen's wedding day….

The one known proudly as Titania looked away guiltily, her eyes downcast.

"Isn't life cruel?" Mira mused quietly. "The person you treasure the most can die just like that… and yet the world continues to spin, and people go on with their lives. Life truly waits for no one."

"But…."

"Gray has matured a lot over the past two years, don't you think? It's almost as if losing Juvia-chan forced him to grow up and learn to not take the people who love him for granted. Although he's still as sarcastic and smug as ever, he's more open about his feelings now, and his expressions are a lot softer too, although wearier."

Erza sighed, "What are you trying to say?"

Her friend smiled. "I'm trying to say that he's doing his best to live an honest and good life. But it's wearing him out…. Seeing his friends experiencing the next stage of their lives together with their loved ones by their side… he can't help but miss Juvia-chan even more."

"Wait." A dark realization washed over the scarlet knight. "You don't think he went on that job alone to… do something stupid, right?!"

The silver-haired waitress laughed. "Of course not silly. Gray wouldn't dare kill himself, especially not when he's carrying the weight of Juvia-chan's sacrifice. He just needs some time alone. The best we can do to support him is to wait patiently, and be ready to help when he asks."

"I suppose you're right," Erza looked up wistfully. "So much has changed. But what I wouldn't give for everything to go back to how it was before…."

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Gray stepped off the train and entered the unfamiliar city. He was in Freesia Town, a small suburb located far northeast of Magnolia. If one goes further north from here, they would come across rocky mountains and a large river that separated Freesia from neighbouring cities.

The small town had more of a countryside feel to it. Its rural landscape consisted of cottonwood and white alder trees, and the air was extremely hot this time of year due to the village's proximity to the desert. And that was why Gray was here. He had accepted a job that had called for an ice mage to cool down Freesia Town with magic. Due to a sudden boom of the mining and coal industry, whose factories and extraction sites were located close-by, villagers had been complaining about the drastic elevation in heat.

Some might think that it's a boring job. And sure, Gray would much rather exchange fists with a villain any day. But he really needed to get away from Fairy Tail for a little while and be alone with his thoughts. It's not that he didn't appreciate his friends' relentless attempts to lift his mood, but if he had to go on yet another "lovey-dovey vacation getaway" with Natsu, Lucy, Erza, and Jellel, he'd shoot himself.

At least the scarlet-haired mage and her childhood sweetheart was more mature and luckily had enough sense to set some boundaries in public. But the flame brain and Lucy weren't subtle at all when it came to their flirting. The worst part is, they weren't even officially 'together' due to one being frustratingly dense and the other being in constant denial. However, it was clear as day to everyone _but_ those two that they had a thing for each other. No one can blame Gray for wanting to detach himself from the title of "Team Natsu's Fifth Wheel".

As he walked through the town's marketplace, he thought about where to stay for the night. Although the streets were bustling with people this afternoon, it was a tiny village and only had two known inns.

He pulled out a map from the inside of his long, tailored jacket and inspected it closely. When he looked up again, something blue caught the corner of his eye.

He turned his head sharply; it was a reflexive reaction that he couldn't quite control. After scanning his surroundings warily, just to be safe, Gray mentally kicked himself and cursed.

'Shit, not this again,' he groaned. The black-haired mage realized over the years that seeing random bluenettes on the street was not good for his blood pressure. It was enough to give him a heart attack every time. But after being disappointed on multiple occasions, he's learned to ignore them. 'Just continue about your business, Gray,' he encouraged. 'It's not an uncommon hair colour, alright?' Placing a hand over the chest, he willed his heart to calm down before walking again.

"Two caramade franks please."

Gray whipped his head back in the direction of the voice. Please God, spare him the hallucinations. Hasn't he suffered enough? He came all the way to this faraway city and left behind his friends so that he could learn to be normal again, not turn into the village lunatic. 'Besides,' he tried to reason, 'caramade franks are so popular nowadays that they practically sell them anywhere. It's not surprising at all to hear someone mention them.'

"Hmm, I'll try the apple and cinnamon flavours this time!"

His eyes widened. But… that was definitely Juvia's voice. This time for sure, it had to be her.

The ice mage's legs moved on its own accord, and soon he was manoeuvring himself skillfully through the dense crowd in an effort to find the owner of the voice.

'Just in case… just in case!" his mind screamed. He was willing to be this crazy one last time if it meant even a measly 1% chance that it was her.

It was a good thing that he was a head taller than most of the people in this village. He easily spotted a woman with sky blue hair standing next to a colourful stall and immediately froze, his heart about to jump out of his chest.

He had to know.

"How much will that be, sir—" An unexpected hand landed on the girl's shoulder and spun her around. She found herself face-to-face with the handsome devil slayer.

Time seemed to stop as he studied her face. There was no way. His mind was trying to process everything a thousand miles per hour, and he fought hard against the urge to pass out right then and there.

"It really is you…" he breathed.

Before the girl had time to register what happened, she felt two strong, muscular arms crush her into a powerful hug.

The basket she held that was filled with fresh vegetables fell to the ground in a loud clank, and she let out a small gasp.

"Juvia…!" Gray's voice shook with emotion. He breathed in her unique, refreshing scent and nuzzled his face in her hair. "I can't believe it… this can't be a dream."

Meanwhile, the flustered girl trapped in his embrace was having her own little crisis.

"U-um! …E-excuse me…sir?" Face redder than a tomato, she squeaked, "You're definitely not dreaming, b-but I think you may have the wrong person."

The man loosened his grip and looked down at the wide-eyed bluenette in his arms. There was no question about it; no matter how many times he looked at her, this was Juvia.

"Wrong person?! This isn't funny, Juvia!" He was on the verge of a breakdown. "Do you know how long I searched for you? How long we all searched for you?! I… I thought you were—"

Fuck. He was going to cry.

This seemed to freak the girl out. "Eek! P-please calm down," she patted his back limply in a feeble attempt to comfort him. How the hell did she get herself into this weird situation?!

"I'm sorry, but you've _definitely_ got the wrong person! Also, can you please put some clothes on?!"

Curious whispers and murmurs gradually erupted around them as nosy onlookers strained their necks to get a better look at the tall, well-built man in his underwear.

The girl who looked like Juvia covered her eyes, clearly mortified, but he never once took his eyes off of her. He noted nonchalantly that he must've lost his clothes during the chase earlier, and reminded himself to go find them later. But he definitely had other priorities at the moment.

He peeled her small hands away from her face gently and examined her features. His vision became blurry at the sight. God, she was so beautiful. She looked exactly the same as she had two years ago. The only difference was the way she spoke and the way she wore her hair, which was longer now and pulled into a loose, side braid that rested over her right shoulder. It was unsettling to see her not speaking in third person anymore, and not addressing him as "Gray-sama". But her tastes in fashion must've stayed the same; she still dressed conservatively, but her black high-collared blouse and wine coloured knee length skirt did nothing to hide her voluptuous and well-endowed figure. How could she claim that she wasn't the water mage? Did she really expect him to believe that?

"W-why are you crying?!"

"Juvia, do you not remember me?" His eyes were pleading, desperate.

The bluenette frowned. "I'm sorry. You keep calling me Juvia, but I'm not sure who that is. I'm afraid this is the first time I've seen you in this town."

Gray's arms fell to his sides, disheartened. Did she perhaps lose her memory? Of course… why else would she be alive but never once gone to find him?

At the crestfallen look on his face, the girl sighed before giving him a soft smile. "My name is Meiko Shimizu."

"Meiko…?" The name sounded foreign to him and didn't suit her at all.

She nodded and bent down to collect the vegetables she dropped earlier. "You must be new around here. Welcome to Freesia Town, regardless."

He just stared at her, dumbfounded.

"Hey miss! Your caramade franks are ready, that'll be 350 jewels," the street vendor called.

Meiko quickly paid and put the pastries in her basket. She then turned around and looked at him apologetically. "I hope you find the person you're looking for. Take care."

Gray's hand immediately shot out and grasped her wrist just as she turned to leave. His mind went into a frenzy as he tried to think of something— anything, to make her stay. There was no way in hell he was letting her out of his sight again. He still couldn't believe it. Juvia was alive. She was alive! This situation was just too confusing and overwhelming for him to handle, but he forced himself to push all of those questions to the back of his mind for now. He urgently needed to stall for time and investigate what was happening before she slipped through his fingers again. And he needed to do this without looking like a creep.

He took a deep breath.

"Ah, sorry," the devil slayer called out, more composed this time. "I didn't mean to scare you earlier. I… must've mistook you for someone else."

Meiko looked back with a quizzical expression, and a light blush settled on her cheeks as her gaze fixated on his grip on her wrist. She finally got a good look at his defined, muscular torso and washboard abs. 'He must be a mage,' she thought.

"I was wondering if you could show me where the Ninkazu Inn is? I'm kinda new here…." He scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

"I see," Meiko said hesitantly. "I suppose I can take you there, I'm headed in that direction anyway."

A look of relief washed over Gray's face and he thanked her.

The blue-haired girl looked on curiously and stifled a giggle as she waited for the mysterious hunk to find his clothes first. The raven-haired stranger was currently looking around frantically in the market in nothing but his boxers. Some of the reactions he garnered from the female villagers and seniors were priceless.

As much as she didn't want to admit it, her town was quite dull and uneventful… until now that is. There was only a handful of young people who resided here; most had gone off and moved to bigger cities like Magnolia and Crocus as soon as they saved up enough jewels. So Maiko was definitely not used to interacting with someone her own age, and someone so handsome at that. In fact, she's pretty certain that he's the most gorgeous man she's ever laid eyes on. If the erratic beating of her heart was any indication from when they embraced earlier, she'd say that she finally found someone she felt physically attracted to.

'It's just too bad that he's so… weird,' she mused with a small laugh. 'The folks from the big cities are indeed different. They must be extremely open-minded to strip in the middle of the street like that.'

After what felt like forever, Gray finally emerged from the crowd with a quick apology. Now that he's fully dressed in his tight black shirt, brown pants and dark jacket, he was absolutely stunning. Although everything about him exuded a mysterious vibe, his confident strides also gave off an adventurous air; something that Meiko was inexperienced with but strangely attracted to.

'So this must be what they call "sexy",' she noted absentmindedly.

She led the way down a less busy road toward his inn, but she couldn't shake off the uncomfortable feeling that the man was watching her every move.

Sweat rolled down Meiko's temple. She opened her mouth to say something to lighten the mood, but he beat her to it.

"So, Ju— uh, Shimizu-san," he started awkwardly. "You seem to know this town well."

"Of course, I've spent my whole life here."

Gray's head snapped up. She's spent her whole life in this tiny village?! That can't be true. What about Fairy Tail? And Phantom Lord? In fact, he's pretty sure that the orphanage she grew up in was also not anywhere close to Freesia Town.

"I've always been envious of those who got to explore other cities and faraway lands on a whim. You must be one of them. If you don't mind me asking, where are you from?"

The devil slayer pulled himself out of his thoughts just in time to answer her question. "Me? Ah… I'm from Magnolia. Fairy Tail, to be exact."

He stared at her intensely at the mention of the guild to see if there's any flicker of recognition in her expression. But there was nothing. Instead, Meiko's eyes lit up in excitement and wonder.

"Fairy Tail?! You're from _the_ Fairy Tail, the country's strongest guild?!"

This was definitely not the reaction he was expecting.

"…Y-yea," he mumbled, colour draining from his face. His shoulders slumped as if all energy has left him. He had finally found Juvia, but it seemed like all the evidence available so far was pointing to the conclusion that she _can't_ be Juvia. Other than her looks, voice, and personality, the timeline just didn't add up.

Unless… it really was amnesia or something? But even so, how can he explain the fact that she has memories of being in this town her entire life?

Whatever it was, Gray vowed to not give up. A glimmer of hope spread again within him. It doesn't matter if memory loss was the reason behind her strange behaviour, because as long as she was alive, he would make her remember. He just had to be extra careful to not scare her away in the process. The ice mage commended himself silently for choosing to come to this town after all. It just can't be a coincidence.

"That's amazing!" Meiko grinned. "What are you doing all the way out here then? Our town isn't exactly a popular place to visit."

"I accepted a job here. Heard the heat waves got real bad after the mining industry expanded, so I'm here to cool the place down."

The bluenette gasped.

"So _you're_ the ice mage they hired to bring down the heat?" She let out a giggle and stuck her hand out in front of him. "It's very nice to meet you."

Gray stared at her fair, slender hand with a hurt expression. They were going to introduce each other with handshakes now? Talk about a huge step back in their relationship.

He grabbed it reluctantly, but found out not soon after that he couldn't bare to let go. He didn't even remember the last time he held her hand… probably years ago during a unison raid or something. In the past two years, he would've done just about anything to be able to touch her like this again. To feel her smooth, silky porcelain skin against his.

When the young man wasn't making any indication to let go, Meiko blushed and politely pulled her hand from his. Now that she knew his identity, she felt a lot more comfortable being in his presence alone. She couldn't believe the crazy day she's having so far. Not even in her wildest dreams would she ever expect to meet a Fairy Tail mage. And yet here he was, standing right next to her, and she had the privilege of being his guide.

"Does this mean you'll be here for a while then? From my understanding, this job was set up by our mayor to last at least a year, with a chance to renew the contract indefinitely since no one foresees this place getting cooler anytime soon."

Gray chuckled at her question. "Oh yea, I'll be staying alright." He had prepared for this to be a long stay to begin with, and even considered buying a small cottage here if he decided he liked the place. But now that he's found the person he was looking for, someone would literally have to break both his arms and legs and drag him out against his will to make him leave. He was going to see to the bottom of this. And one thing was for sure, whether he stays or leaves, she was coming with him no matter what.

They engaged in lighthearted small talk for the rest of the way. When they approached a small intersection, Meiko stopped.

"If you go down just a little further from here, you'll see Ninkazu Inn on the right. You can't miss it, they have a bright red neon sign out front."

His stomach turned at the realization that they had to part for the night. If he didn't have to tread carefully to protect his investigation and not risk scaring her away, he would've taken her with him to the inn without a second thought. Gray couldn't afford to risk losing her whereabouts now.

"Where do you live? It's getting dark, I'll walk you home," he offered, hoping she'd accept.

"Oh it's fine, my home is right here." Meiko pointed at a tall, historic structure across the road.

"Huh?" It looked like a church. There was something ominous about it, however. There was only one lone lamp post near the main entrance, which left the majority of the building concealed in shadow.

She seemed to understand his confusion and explained, "This used to be a church, but a long time ago, it was said that a strong fire mage came and destroyed it by accident. Hmm, I believe they called him a Dragon Slayer…."

Gray eyes widened to the size of saucers. Shit, it was _this_ town?! There was no doubt about it. The fire mage she was referring to was none other than Natsu Dragneel. This was the old church the pink-haired doofus wrecked a long time ago that had gotten Master Makarov in trouble with the Magic Council. He face-palmed and wondered if he should bother telling her that his best friend was the one who demolished the building.

"…but we had since repaired some of the damage," Meiko continued, clueless to Gray's internal conflict. "Since then, the villagers had petitioned to build a new church to worship; they reasoned that the attack from the fire mage probably contaminated the holy grounds the structure was built on. So this became a residential property instead. Reverend Mother and I are the only ones who live here now."

"Reverend Mother?" Gray said, beyond confused.

"Yes, Mother Margaret was the one who raised me since I was little. She couldn't bear to abandon this place, so we decided to make it our home."

"Right…."

A clock tower from a few blocks down chimed, making Meiko jump out of her skin. "Oh no! I completely lost track of the time. I have to be on my way." She gave a quick bow before darting away.

"Hey wait—" Gray called after her.

"Ah that's right," she suddenly turned around. "I didn't get your name."

His heart was racing again. "It's Gray. Gray Fullbuster."

"I see," she smiled warmly, void of any recognition whatsoever. "Fullbuster-san, it's been a pleasure talking to you today. Please enjoy the rest of your evening."

"The pleasure's all mine…" he trailed off, unsure of what to do. He couldn't possibly keep her from going home any longer without causing suspicion. But there was one thing that he needed to correct before he let her go.

"Just 'Gray' would be fine."

The bluenette blushed. How bold. "I see. In that case… please call me Meiko, Gray…"

His heart leaped...

"-san."

... and subsequently dropped to the pit of his stomach. Damn it, what would it take for her to call him "Gray-sama" again?

The girl gave him a small, shy wave before making a dash towards the old church.

.

.==================================.

Meiko ran up the steps leading to the entrance of her home, but before she could put her key in the lock, the doors swung open to reveal a stern-faced nun.

"Do you know what time it is?"

It sounded like an innocent question, but the voice accompanying it was laced with carefully restrained anger. The Reverend Mother, although half a head shorter than Meiko, stood menacingly and looked every bit the part of a devoted yet forbidding leader of a convent. She was covered from head to toe in a long, black dress and veil that hid every part of her stocky body, revealing only her aged face.

The timid village girl swallowed hard, knowing that she was in trouble.

"Sorry, Mother Margaret. The market was busy today, so it took a little longer to—"

"Where's your cloak?" The old woman demanded lowly.

When the girl failed to answer right away, she seethed between her teeth, "Where. Is. Your. Cloak."

"I-I regret that I didn't bring it with me today," Meiko said earnestly. "It's been so hot lately that I almost got a heat stroke the last time I wore it. Please forgive me…."

"Hmph!" The woman brought her arm out from her back and chucked a heavy bundle of fabric at the girl's head. "Make sure it doesn't happen again."

"Yes…" Meiko pulled the dark cloak from her face and gazed sadly at it.

"You are to confess your sins before having dinner."

"Yes, Mother," she sighed and quietly followed the elderly woman inside. The double doors closed behind them loudly and all was silent yet again.

.

.==================================.

A dark figure emerged from the shadows. Gray had been lurking on top of a tree close to the church entrance and happened to have heard the whole conversation. Curiosity and worry got the best of him, and he decided that he had to follow the Juvia look-alike to see who she was living with. And he was glad he did, because seeing the exchange between the two women only solidified his plan to take her away.

If he was being honest, a part of him was afraid that she had grown attached to whoever had been taking care of her all this time, and perhaps wouldn't want to leave with him. Either way, this Reverend Mother left a bad taste in his mouth, and it took almost everything to keep himself from intervening back there. His fists tightened.

'Wait for me, Juvia. I won't leave you alone this time, and that's a promise.'

* * *

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A/N: So Freesia Town is an actual location inside the world of Fairy Tail (can be found on the official wiki page). It took me a long time to decide on the proper setting, but I hope everything makes sense so far! Please leave a review and look forward to the next chapter! There'll be some twists coming your way ;)


	4. In Your Presence

A/N: *dodges rotten tomatoes and eggs* I'M SO SORRY EVERYONE! I'm the worst, I know. Gosh it's been so long since I updated and I swear it's not because I had writer's block or anything. I already had this chapter half written out, but after winter break I was working so much I literally came home to just sleep and eat. It was horrible T_T But I promise you that this story has always been on my mind and I've been itching to write the rest.

Special thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far, your supportive words are the best kind of motivation:

 **glodenglowingsnowdemon, SweetMemories1998, Star197, Ikhny Shy, KassfromVenus, , TheLittleKittyMeows, 9, Fafiqah QiuQiu, songbird fatale, Dustee Goff, Volcomix13, Aru, Kyogan-Saori, I12Bfree, nik09, rbownpolish, Allie, Icelyn20, and the lovely Guests**

You all are so SO sweet. I read every single one of your reviews! Here's an extra long chapter to make up for the wait. Although this one was especially hard to write, I hope you'll still enjoy it!

P.S. Has anyone seen the latest Fairy Tail 100 Year Quest chapter?! OH GAWD IT WAS EVERYTHING MY GRUVIA HEART EVER WANTED~

Warning: Contains coarse language.

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 *****Recommended music for this chapter: [Again** **ー by** **Beverlyビバリ]*****

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 **CHAPTER 3: IN YOUR PRESENCE**

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Gray woke up with a pounding headache. Needless to say, the events that had unfolded the previous day resulted in him getting little to no sleep.

As soon as he checked into the inn last night, he had called Levy.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Flashback *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Hello?"

"Levy!" The ice mage threw his bag on the bed and paced the length of his room. "Sorry to call so late, but I need you to check something for me."

He heard a faint, grumpy voice in the background muttering "Is it the stripper again?", probably belonging to Gajeel.

"Sure, Gray!" Levy then carefully popped the question. "Is this… regarding Juvia-chan perhaps?"

"Yea." Gray heaved a deep sigh. "Listen, I know you guys are all gonna think I'm fucking crazy for bringing this up again, but I need you to believe me."

"Of course, just tell me what happened." Her voice was laced with concern now.

"I think I saw Juvia today. No— I _know_ I saw her. At the market place in Freesia Town. She looked exactly like her; same voice, height… everything! But for some reason, she doesn't recognize me at all."

He could faintly hear his friend discussing something with the iron dragon slayer on the other line.

"Are you sure about this Gray? You're certain that it's not just another girl who happens to have blue hair and—"

"You have to trust me, Levy. I'm not delusional. I know that doesn't say much considering the way I've acted in the past, but I know what I saw." He ran a shaky hand through his hair. "I even talked to her and walked her home to make sure I wasn't hallucinating."

"Alright Gray, I promise I'll look into this. Just get some rest oka—"

The phone was snatched by Gajeel.

"Oi, stripper. Do you need me to go over there? If it really is Juvia, I'd wanna check for myself."

"No," the ice mage said quickly. "There's still something that doesn't add up with this whole situation. I want to find out what's going on first before we act rashly. I can't risk scaring her away. Just stand-by for now, and keep this under wraps."

The man on the other line grunted. "Fine. But you call me as soon as you find something, you got that? You better not be getting my hopes up again ya bastard."

After reassuring the couple again that he wasn't having another one of his "episodes", Gray ended the call. He knew of Gajeel and Juvia's friendship, and it wasn't surprising that the iron dragon slayer would be skeptical.

Out of all their friends, Gajeel was among those who took the news of Juvia's death especially hard. He had wanted nothing more than to grieve properly and move on, but every time Gray came up with yet another theory as to why he thought Juvia was still alive, Gajeel couldn't help but hold onto a sliver of hope as well. But of course, it's always ended in nothing but disappointment for everyone.

Sleep did not come to him that night. It took all his willpower to not jump out the window, run back to that old church and take Juvia back to Fairy Tail with him. He could care less if the old hag puts a bounty on his head and an angry mob comes after him.

The events of the day truly felt like a dream. Perhaps he really was going mad, and there was no cure for it.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* End Flashback *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Gray made a quick stop at the mayor's office first thing in the morning, filled out some paperwork, and proceeded to do his job of cooling down the little town. All he had to do was cover the village in a thin flurry of icy mist. He also created a couple of ice boulders in various locations throughout the city; they should be big enough to last several days. Easy peasy.

His commitment to the job lasted about 20 minutes; he made sure to finish his duties in the shortest amount of time imaginable. Seeing Juvia was his priority, so as soon as it was over, he made his way to the old church around the block. He needed to get close to the village girl he met yesterday and find out as much about her as possible.

When he neared the familiar intersection, he spotted Meiko in the front yard hanging bed sheets on a laundry string. Even though the late morning sun shined brightly, she was covered from head to toe in a black, thick-clothed cloak. The hood hid the top half of her face, but he was able to tell it was her by the sky blue hair that poked out around her right shoulder.

She turned when she noticed his presence nearby.

"Gray-san?"

"Um… I was just checking out the neighborhood," Gray said defensively. He didn't know why he felt the need to offer an explanation as to why he was there. Couldn't he have just said he wanted to see her?

The bluenette smiled as she hung the last piece of garment onto the string. "I see. Well, I hope you enjoyed your first night here."

He most certainly didn't. He was sleep-deprived and a disoriented, bumbling mess thanks to her.

"It was okay I guess."

Meiko tilted her head slightly in response. Her large, ocean blue eyes observed him questioningly, and he couldn't help but look away. What the hell, why was he acting like some shy schoolgirl with a crush? He's just going to blame it on how agonizingly cute she looked right now as she innocently stared up at him through those long, sooty eyelashes.

Feeling a few sweat drops roll down his face, he wracked his brain to try and think of something interesting to say. He had been in such a rush to see her this morning that he really didn't come prepared. Gray had to remind himself again that he was the only one with memories of her. In Meiko's point of view, he was nothing but a stranger. As far as she's concerned, they had only met yesterday, and he was already paying her a visit the next day. What if she thought he was a stalker?

The ice mage's eyes searched his surroundings desperately until finally, he saw a worthy distraction. The entrance to the old church was wide open, and he was able to catch a glimpse inside.

"Is that the lobby area?" He indicated to the doors, glad that he was able to break the uncomfortable silence. "Even the interior looks exactly like a church instead of a living room."

"Ah, Mother Margaret kept the majority of the church hall the same so that villagers can still come in for worship whenever they wanted." She gave him a bright smile. "Gray-san is welcome too."

His heart did a weird flip, but before he could reply a sharp voice rang out.

"Meiko! What's taking you so long to do the laundry?"

The girl jumped and quickly wiped her damp hands on her long skirt. "M-Mother!"

The elderly woman noticed the dark-haired stranger standing beside Meiko and narrowed her eyes. "And who might this young man be?"

Gray tensed up.

"This is the ice mage our town hired to help ease the heat waves, Gray Fullbuster-san."

"Hmph." The Reverend looked him up and down, her expression judging and cynical. "Then may I ask what business a magic user has here at our humble home?"

Gray took a step forward, his gaze hard as if challenging the stout woman in front of him. "I'm here for morning worship," he indicated to the entrance of the church with a sharp turn of his chin. "Got a problem with that?"

The older woman's lips twitched ever so slightly at his curt words. "As a respected leader of the convent, I won't turn away anyone who wishes to have a word with the Lord. But with that said, I'll leave you with a warning, child. Don't you even think of courting Meiko. She's a nun-in-training and has pledged to serve the Lord for the rest of her life. You're not the first man to frequent this place to try and get close to my daughter."

She turned her back to them and began walking away. "I won't allow some pretty boy to distract her from her responsibilities."

Seeing the scowl on Gray's face, Meiko panicked. What is she going to do? He must feel insulted, and how embarrassing that it was her mother who had given him such a terse welcome!

"Mother, you've misunderstood!" The girl quickly called out. "Gray-san has no such intentions. He's from Fairy Tail after all, the most renowned and respected guild in all of Fiore."

"Fairy…Tail?" The Reverend looked back with a disturbed look, and for just a split second, Meiko thought she saw fear in her eyes. Meiko shrugged off her uneasiness. 'It must be because she's not familiar with the world of magic and mages. Mother's probably just confused," she reasoned.

"Yes, Fairy Tail. So he would never—"

"I must go," Margaret said hurriedly, her once calm demeanor breaking as her quick feet took her back towards the building steps, but not before yelling one last warning to her daughter. "Don't even think about going anywhere with him and straying from your duties!"

Her harsh words lingered in the air uncomfortably. The doors slammed closed behind the nun, and Gray's eyes visibly darkened. 'There's definitely something suspicious about that woman,' he mulled.

"I'm so sorry about that, Gray-san!" A flustered Meiko ran up to him. "Please don't mind her. She can be a little overprotective sometimes, but she means well."

He grunted. "It's fine."

Meiko looked worried until suddenly, she sprang up to her feet as if remembering something important. "Oh no, it's almost noon! I have to collect medicinal herbs before the sun goes down."

"I'll join you."

Her head whipped back in surprise. "But you said you came here for morning worship…?"

He flinched; he didn't think he'd get caught in his lie already. "Uh… yea, I'll do that later. Besides, it doesn't sound like a good idea for me to be in the same room as your mother right now. Since you're the only one I know from this town, I thought I'd use this opportunity to become more familiar with the area…."

That was an excuse of course, and all Gray could do was hope that she would take his word for it.

"S-sure," she stuttered before donning a playful smile. "I guess it doesn't count as straying from my duties if you're the one who wants to tag along on my errand. It would be nice to have company for once, I suppose."

And with that, the two walked along the dirt path that led to a mountainous area. Since the trees were sparsely located, the sun bore down on them stubbornly when noon rolled around.

At one point, Gray looked back at her in concern.

"Oi, aren't you hot wearing all that? It looks uncomfortable."

The bluenette was panting as they climbed the steep trail, visibly struggling to keep up. A subtle layer of perspiration was evident on her flawless, porcelain skin.

"I'm fine."

He scoffed. "Clearly, you're not. Why don't you take that annoying cloak off? It's like 100 degrees out, you're gonna pass out at this point."

"I-I can't," she rasped out. "I'll get in trouble if I take it off."

Suddenly, her foot slipped on a loose pebble and, with a gasp, she fell forward until a strong hand went under her arm and held her up.

The conversation that he overheard last night played through Gray's mind. His jaw clenched as he remembered how angry the old nun had been at her for failing to wear the cloak.

"Who the hell cares?! Why do you have to wear that stupid thing anyway?"

She leaned on his arm slightly for balance and muttered a quick thanks. Luckily, Gray wrapped another arm around her shoulder to keep her steady because Meiko was starting to feel lightheaded. "Mother hates it when I bring unwanted attention, especially from men," she sighed. "She also said that… my body was cursed."

The ice mage raised an eyebrow. "Cursed?"

"Yes. She said that… my body was the personification of sexual desire. This cloak is so that I won't tempt those who are weak-willed."

"That's some bullshit—" Gray spat out before catching his tongue. Crap, he had forgotten that 'this' Juvia was a member of the church. He looked away guiltily and mumbled an apology for using profane language.

He didn't catch the tiny smile that made its way to her lips as she regained her footing and started walking away. "You're forgiven. I'll be sure to pray for your soul later."

"…Gee thanks," he said sarcastically.

Although the mood had lightened, Gray was still simmering with anger from what he heard. How could Meiko stand to live with this prudish old lady who controlled what she wore? Would the Juvia he knew put up with that? He wasn't sure. It was true that a body like hers would no doubt attract all sorts of men, and Gray wouldn't want her walking around in skimpy clothes either, but the Reverend Mother was going too far. Wearing a heavy cloak in this weather was akin to suicide.

He let out a frustrated sigh when she made no attempts to remove the darned piece of cloth, and instead clutched the fabric closer to her body.

"You're one stubborn woman. Guess it can't be helped.…"

Almost instantly, the temperature around them dropped. A cool and refreshing breeze blew past Meiko and sent her cloak fluttering. It was enough to take the heat from her body and dry the sweat on her skin instantly. Her eyes widened in shock.

"Did you do that, Gray-san?!"

He didn't answer, and instead took her hand in his and led her down the steep path. Her whole face lit up with excitement. To feel the effects of someone's magic and to walk alongside a mage through the forest made her feel as if they were going on an adventure. She's never felt so alive.

The two of them spent the next few hours scoping out the mountain for herbs. Although few words were exchanged, they enjoyed each other's presence and relaxed under the comfortable silence. In between searching and collecting rare plants, Meiko would occasionally point out an important landmark or city off in the distance to Gray. The girl still thought that the reason he tagged along was so that she could show him around. She had no idea that the ice mage's motives extended beyond simply making her his tour guide.

"If you go further north from here, you'll see a beautiful river. And not surprisingly, the town nearby is also known as River Village."

Gray paused. "A river huh? Do you uh… like rivers?" He thought it'd be best to approach the subject of magic cautiously. Partly because he doesn't want to sound pushy, and partly because he was afraid of her answer.

The girl stood up slowly, confusion lining her youthful face. "Rivers? I suppose I don't mind them? They're quite pretty."

Okay, that was definitely not the response he was expecting. He was hoping that she'd say something along the lines of how she'd always been drawn to huge bodies of water, considering how Juvia was a water mage. Meiko was proving to be more mysterious than he thought. It felt like the more he tried to know her, he just ends up with more questions than answers.

"What about water? Do you like water?!" As soon as the words left his mouth, Gray mentally smacked himself at how stupid he sounded.

A pure, melodic laugh rang throughout the peaceful forest. Meiko was doubled over, her shoulders shaking with amusement. "Gray-san," she gasped for breath in between laughs, and Gray could only watch with a horrified expression on his face. "You didn't come across as someone who told jokes! Do I like water? Yes I do, seeing as how I need it to survive."

Her sarcastic comeback took him off-guard. He immediately looked away before she could see the blush spreading across his face.

"W-whatever… forget I asked!"

He trudged away, trying to hide his embarrassment and failing miserably. The bluenette didn't hesitate to chase after him, all flustered as she apologized profusely while giggling. The ice mage eventually gave in; her laughter was contagious, and he couldn't help but appreciate Meiko's lighthearted spirit. Her presence had a calming effect on him, which was not surprising because Juvia had always made him feel that way. Even their elements behaved similarly when combined; ice, no matter how stiff and unyielding, would naturally melt when embraced by water.

They spent the rest of the day together. The topic of magic seemed to fascinate her, and Gray had been happy to explain some of his ice-making and devil-slaying powers to her. Meanwhile, he marveled at the expanse of Meiko's knowledge of medicinal herbs and plant ecology as he tried his best to help her complete her errand before sundown.

For the first time in years, his heart felt light and happiness swelled within him as if his body was too small a vessel to contain it. He had almost forgotten what it felt like to not have a care in the world. Being in her presence was enough to turn his brain to mush, and for a short while, the fact that the girl beside him didn't have any recollection of their relationship had escaped his mind. He was simply content that he was given another chance to see Juvia's smile again. To hear her melodic voice.

If this was a dream, then he never wanted to wake up.

Gray came to see her again the following day. And the day after that as well. At first, he would use morning worship as an excuse. He would walk into the church, hang his head and sit silently until the blue-haired nun-in-training spots him. There was no doubt in his mind that Meiko had seen through his flippant acting, but he did it all in the hopes of fooling the Reverend Mother.

He kept up the act until Meiko finally told him that Mother Margaret had been away the entire time; she had packed her bags citing an important trip on the day she had her first encounter with Gray.

After spending a decent amount of time together, Gray had suggested that she drop the honorific. But staying true to Juvia's character, the girl had refused, saying that she was simply more comfortable with formalities.

On another beautiful, breezy sunny day, the ice mage came to the church again. His legs seemed to carry him here without his knowing.

Before he could go up the steps leading to the entrance, he was stopped by a soft tap on his shoulder.

He turned to see a cloaked figure with braided blue hair poking out on one side. Gray relaxed upon seeing her.

"Here for morning worship again?" A teasing smile tugged on her lips. "Should I leave you alone and come back in a few hours?"

Crap. Yup, she definitely caught on.

"Um… no, please don't," he sweat-dropped. "To be honest, I've been using that as an excuse—"

Meiko giggled. "There's no need to explain yourself, Gray-san. I'm just happy that you're here to see me. I rarely get any visitors because mother tends to scare everyone off."

Gray scoffed. "I don't blame them."

They went to their usual place; a gentle hill that overlooks the green, rolling plains. This was often their resting station after spending hours picking herbs in the forest. The enormous tree on the hill provided them with shade and a cool breeze, so it was their favorite spot.

"Gray-san, can you show me a bit more of your ice-making magic?"

The raven-haired mage nodded. He was glad that she was the one asking questions this time and seemed to gain some sort of interest in him.

Gray brought his palms together, a cold frosty aura emanated from his hands. An idea came to him suddenly that he could use this as an opportunity to try and jolt her memories.

With newfound determination, he slammed his fist into the palm of his hand, "Ice-Make: Umbrella!"

Meiko's eyes grew wide when a frilly and girly looking umbrella made entirely of ice appeared before her. It glistened under the sun like a jewel.

"It's… so cute!" Upon close inspection, it was definitely a fine piece of craftsmanship. The attention to detail on Gray's part was evident as her fingers softly traced the hearts engraved around the brim of the umbrella.

"Do you like it?"

"Gray-san, this is amazing! How did you come up with such an adorable looking umbrella?"

She looked over at him and was startled to find the look of disappointment on his face. Was this not the response he was looking for?

"Ah… I don't know," he shrugged. "Must've been the last umbrella I saw on the street or something…"

"Well I love it. If there's ever a downpour, I think this pretty umbrella would definitely help me forget about the rain!"

Gray wondered if that was why Juvia used to carry her pink, over-the-top umbrella all the time too. Either way, he hoped that seeing one of her treasured possessions helped to jog her memories even a little bit.

"Here's another one," the ice mage brought his hands together once again. "Ice-Make: Crown!"

The girl sitting in front of him gasped. "How gorgeous!"

In one swift move, Gray pulled down the hood of her cloak and plopped the intricate headpiece on her head.

"There." He felt the blush that was making its way across his face, so he looked away and did his best to scowl. "Now you can be queen for a day."

When there was no response from her, he slowly turned around and peeked. Meiko's eyes were cloudy and her lips trembled comedically, as if doing her best to suppress the tears that were threatening to spill out.

"Why do I feel so happy?" She sniffled and her eyebrows furrowed even more.

"Oi!" She'd better not cry. Gray sweat-dropped before letting out a sigh. Well, it can't be helped. She was probably just happy because the last time he made a crown using ice-make magic, he had given it to Wendy. Juvia had been so upset at the time that she demanded that he make her one too. He had refused of course, which only served to make her pout even more. He chuckled at the memory. The woman in front of him now was making that same adorable face over a stupid crown.

Meiko frowned. "I want to keep this."

"As you wish," he snickered. "It's yours this time."

Not knowing what he meant by 'this time', she dismissed his comment and continued to admire the crown that was now in her hands.

"If you liked that, then you'll like this even more. Ice-Make: Doll!"

The bluenette looked on curiously at the small and plump statue that appeared to be a chibi version of the handsome man before her. Its beady doe eyes stared back at her, and almost instantly, she felt a strong urge to squeal and hug the damn thing to her chest.

"It's… It's mini Gray-san!" Meiko took the doll from Gray's hands and rubbed her cheek against the ice block adoringly.

The devil slayer suddenly couldn't move. The scene that unfolded in front of him was all too familiar. That expression on Meiko's face, with hearts in her eyes and hugging that creepy doll-like statue that looked like him… there's was no doubt in his mind now. This can only be Juvia. His Juvia.

"Ice-Make: Heart."

"Hm?" Pausing from her fangirling session, Meiko's turned her attention to Gray.

She peered down as he slowly revealed a small, shiny crystal sitting delicately between the palms of his hands. The jewel was in the shape of a heart, but this creation was visibly different from the ones that came before it. It was much more polished and clear. The ice itself had a purple tint to it, instead of blue. In fact, if she hadn't known any better, she would've believed that it was the world's most precious amethyst.

"This was made with eternal ice," Gray said softly. He reached over and placed the heart in the palm of her hand.

Puzzled, Meiko studied the gleaming object and noted its faint coolness under her touch.

"Eternal…ice?"

His piercing eyes found hers, and she had momentarily forgotten how to breathe. His gaze held a whirlwind of emotions: determination, hope, love… and so much pain.

Even so, her stomach somersaulted and her insides felt as if it was on fire. She was scared, but at the same time intrigued by such sensations that felt so new to her. She was suddenly extremely aware of how close Gray was sitting and how fast her heart was beating. Is this what people call love? Was she falling for this dark-haired stranger who had also somehow become her best friend in a matter of weeks?

"I've wanted to give this to you a long time ago, Juvia."

Eh? Juvia?

Suddenly, Meiko remembered her first encounter with Gray Fullbuster. He had cried upon seeing her, even though it was the first time they'd met. She had never seen a man cry so grievously; it had frightened her. And he had called her 'Juvia' then, too.

The excitement she felt just moments ago quickly dissipated as she gradually pieced everything together. The reason why he came to see her everyday. The reason why he wanted to befriend a nun even after experiencing Mother Margaret's wrath. The reason why he spent so much time with her despite being a powerful mage who would obviously have way more important things to do.

"Gray-san…" her voice was barely above a whisper. "If you'll excuse my rudeness… but who is this 'Juvia'? And… who is she to _you_?"

His eyes softened as he gave her a sad smile. "She's someone very special to me. A fellow guildmate… but more than that."

"Oh," was all Meiko managed to say. So he wasn't confessing his love to _her_ , per se.

"But, I never got to tell her that," he paused as his lips formed a thin line. "Because she died."

Meiko's breath hitched in her throat. She… died?! Her heart squeezed as she thought about how traumatic such an experience would've been for Gray. For anyone. She instantly felt guilty for having overlooked their bizarre first encounter and for brushing it off as just him being weird.

Gray reached a hand inside his jacket and pulled out a small 3"x3" paper. When she saw it, a chill ran up her spine, and she couldn't stop the shiver that reverberated through her entire being.

It was a photo of herself in unfamiliar clothes.

"She… She—" A shaky finger pointed at the girl with long, wavy blue locks.

The ice mage nodded knowingly as if he expected her reaction. "She looks just like you, doesn't she?"

"But how? Are you saying that's the girl you've been referring to as 'Juvia'?"

"Yea," Gray said. "Juvia was a member of Fairy Tail too… a water mage. In the war we had against Alvarez two years ago, we were up against a formidable enemy, and she sacrificed herself while trying to buy me time. I wouldn't have survived if it wasn't for her."

Meiko could only gape in shock. To think that another woman had loved Gray so much that she died for him. How could she even begin to compare to someone like that?

Meiko shook her head in an attempt to get back on track. "But how can this be... How is it possible that the girl in this photo looks exactly like me? What's going on?"

She jumped when he suddenly reached out and grasped her shoulders. "It's possible! What if your memories were erased somehow? Please, think hard. Have you ever thought about the fact that you might not belong here, that your life was more than just training to be a nun?"

"If this isn't a prank… if Gray-san is really speaking the truth, then that means Juvia-san and I have been living completely different lives," she said, clearly distressed. "I don't have any magic, and I've never once stepped foot outside of Freesia Town, much less fight in a war. So how can I be her? Are you saying that the memories I have of my life are invalid?"

Gray's shoulders slumped as he looked at her with a defeated expression, and finally, he released his hold on her.

"But to me… you are Juvia. Everything about you reminds me of her."

For the first time since they met, she couldn't read his eyes as they were hidden behind his bangs. At that moment, her heart ached for him. His voice was hoarse and unsure, sounding almost like a lost child.

Meiko took a deep breath and stood up, pulling Gray to his feet as well.

"Gray-san, let's go," she said with determination in her eyes. "Mother should be back from her trip today, maybe she'll know what's going on. We'll get to the bottom of this, I'm sure of it!"

Dazed, Gray mumbled a weak agreement under his breath and allowed Meiko to drag him back to the old church.

.

.==========================================.

When the old Reverend saw the pair barge into the entrance of the lobby, holding hands at that, her fury sprang to life. It looked like she arrived not too long ago, with luggage still in hand.

Her eyes sharpening menacingly, the stout woman bellowed, "What is the meaning of this, Meiko!"

The bluenette instinctively let go of the hand she was holding. Although her heart was about to jump out of her throat, she tried to gather her courage.

"Mother, I must ask you something."

"Oh? And what might that be?" Margaret said between her teeth and closed the distance between them. "Don't tell me that you've broken your promise already, Meiko. Have you been in the company of this philanderer the entire time that I was away?!"

"No, that's not it!" Meiko forced down the surge of irritation at hearing her friend being referred to as a philanderer. She took out Juvia's photo and thrust it in front of the old woman. "We just wanted to ask if you knew of Fairy Tail's Juvia Lockser… and, why we look so alike?"

A deafening silence engulfed the spacious room, and the Reverend did not move an inch. Her eyes, which only a moment ago was filled with rage, now carried an expression that was frighteningly unreadable.

It felt as if an eternity had passed, but just before Gray had finally had enough and was about to snap, Mother Margaret opened her mouth.

"Why of course you two look alike, dear." The corner of her lips curved up. "Juvia Lockser was your twin."

* * *

.

A/N: For anyone curious about the "crown" scene, just google Fairy Tail manga cover 390. ;)

Sorry to end on a cliffhanger! Quite a few of you were worried about Meiko's identity last chapter. I'll just leave you with this statement: I'm a Gruvia fan, 100% :)

Now enjoy this little "behind-the-scenes" excerpt:

 _ **Juvia:** What is the meaning of this, Gray-sama?! Why is Juvia dead, and why is Gray-sama cheating on Juvia with this Meiko girl?!_

 _ **Gray:** HUH? How is it cheating if she's literally you?!_

 _ **Meiko:** I am not! Stop saying that I'm Juvia!_

 _ **Juvia:** *eyes glowing* SILENCE, LOVE RIVAL_

 _ **Gray:** This is getting weird… I just want to be happy…_

 _ **Scarf-san:** *pets Gray* Nope, can't let you be happy yet cinnamon roll. People seem to like it when you suffer, so I'm gonna milk it for all its worth._

 ** _Gray:_ **_You're all monsters..._


End file.
